Amber and I spend a fair amount of the evening attached at the lips. Eventually I put the snowflake box back in my pocket so we can go back to skating. The smiles remain on our faces. I am the happiest I’ve been in a very long time and I have a feeling that Amber is too.

We skate long into the night just holding hands and laughing. Occasionally we’d stop and kiss under the mistletoe that is placed in intervals around the rink. In fact, I’m pretty sure we kiss more than we actually skate. I don’t really care; we’ve got five years of built up kissing to get out of our systems.

Eventually I can hear Amber’s stomach growling so I decide it is best if we leave the rink. After retrieving out shoes from the locker I return the skates and lead Amber back to the car. She clings to me. It is a pleasant feeling, knowing that Amber wants me and that she is my official girlfriend now.

Amber and I stop at a fast food place and order fries and milkshakes before heading back to Jersey. I did have a timeframe but it kind of went out the window. On the car ride Amber rests her head on my shoulder and I sing to her…mostly the songs I sang over the walkie. I’m really surprised she hasn’t fallen asleep.

When we finally get home I park in the alley between our houses and we both look up. In both houses the lights are on. My mom and Gerard, who acts like a father to Amber, are waiting up. I get out of the car and open the passenger door for her. I escort her to the back door, handing over the blue velvet snowflake box.

“I don’t want to say goodnight,” I admit.

“Me neither,” Amber replies with a smile.

“I’ll be on my walkie as soon as possible.”

Amber is on the step above me, putting her at exactly my eye level. Damn it she’s adorable.

“I’ll be waiting for you. I love you.”

I smile because I know her words have an entirely different meaning now than ever before.

“I’ve been waiting ten years to hear you say that.”

I pull her cheek to me and kiss her. One of her hands comes up to cup my cheek and we kiss for so long I start to worry that she might have an asthma attack. Our lips don’t part until the door opens behind us. I quickly pull away from her and Amber turns around. I look past my beautiful girlfriend to where Gerard is leaning against the door frame.

“I thought I’d stop you while you were ahead,” he says with a smart ass smirk.

“Prick,” Amber mutters but Gerard just continues to grin.

“Get in the house, you,” he motions behind himself. “I need to have a word with this one.”

Amber turns back to me, leaning down to kiss my softly on the lips. I close my eyes until she pulls away, smiling widely.

“Goodnight,” she says.

“Night, Ambo,” I reply.

She smiles again before slipping past Gerard. He steps out onto the stoop, closing the door.

“So how’d it go?” Gerard asks

I continue to grin, “Great, obviously.”

“What’d you give her?”

“A handmade snowflake ornament,” I reply

“Sweet,” Gerard says with a slight smile. “So are you guys dating now?”

“I guess so. I’m not sure how you go about that. Am I supposed to ask her?”

He just shrugs, “It might not be necessary in this case.”

“I don’t think it is.”

“So I suppose I have to do the dad speech now.”

My eyebrows rise, “And that is?”

Gerard crosses his arms over his chest, standing a little straighter to make himself look taller. It’s not really necessary…he is already taller than me. Right now he’s kind of towering over me due to the fact I’m standing on the drive way and he’s on the stoop. I still smile; there is nothing even remotely frightening about Gerard.

“What are your intentions with my cousin, Mr. Iero?”

I laugh, “I thought my intentions were pretty clear.”

“Basically I want you to know she isn’t ready for the physical stuff, if you know what I mean.”

“I know what you mean. I’m okay with that. If she’s not ready then I’m not ready. That’s not what I want from Amber.”

“What exactly do you want from her?”

I sigh, feeling a little awkward, “Gerard, when she was gone I felt…lost. It was like having a piece of you missing. I didn’t know how to function. Now that she’s back and she’s mine it’s like a blind man remmbering how to see. I don’t ever want to be away from her.”

He nods slowly, “So sex isn’t really important to you?”

“Sex is not a requirement,” I answer. “What I want from Amber is her affection, not her body. I mean… I’m a teenager and I’m a dude. Obviously I want her –” Gerard’s eyes narrow slightly – “In that way, but I’m willing to wait for it. When it happens I don’t want her to be scared or uncomfortable. I love her.”

I give him a crooked smile hoping he doesn’t get the sudden urge to punch me.

“Well,” he starts. “Just be careful. Remember that she loves and she’ll know when she’s ready. Don’t let her do it because she feels pressured or….”

“I wouldn’t do that to her.”

“I’m not worried about you. I’m worried that she’ll think you’ll love her more if she does.”

I quickly shake my head, “She doesn’t have to have sex with me to make me love her and if that’s the reason…then, then I won’t let it happen.”

“Good. Just making that clear.”

“Well my mom is expecting me so I’ll see you later.”

“Alright, goodnight,” he says.

Gerard pats my back as I take a few steps away from the stoop. I stop in the yard and look up at Amber’s window. She is standing on her desk chair hanging my snowflake in the middle of all her paper ones…it is perfect. Right where it belongs, letting me know I am always welcome there and that we really do belong together. We both smile and I kiss the tips of my fingers. Amber returns it. I make the shape of a phone and she nods her understanding. I smile one more time before climbing into my car and driving back down the alley.

When I get home my mom is waiting up for me.

“You’re late,” she says, setting her coffee mug on the floor.

“I know. I’m sorry. We got sidetracked,” I answer.

“So how’d it go?”

“It went better than planned. I told her everything.”

“How did she respond,” mom inquires.

“She slipped and fell on the ice and took a moment to start breathing again.”

My mother just laughs, “So she’s happy?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

“What did she say? Does she feel the same?”

“According to her she feels the same.”

Mom smiles again, “Well it’s about time.”

“Tell me about it. I’m going upstairs to talk to her.”

“Alright, goodnight honey.”

“Night, mom,” I mumble.

I hurry up the stairs, closing myself in my bedroom. I take a minute to pull my pajama bottoms on then pick up the walkie and carrying it to the window. I can see Amber’s shadow

“I see my snowflake,” I say.

“Which one,” Amber asks.

“You,” I respond, sporting a dorkie smile.

She laughs softly, “What did Gerard want to say to you?”

“Just wanted to know what we did and what was said. He also gave me the dad speech.”

“Oh God, I’m sorry,” Amber says. “He should know that he doesn’t have to worry about you.”

“Of course he’s going to worry about me. I’m attracted to you.”

Amber laughs again, “Yeah, but not like…in that way.”

“Of course I’m attracted to you in that way. I’m just not going to try and get down your pants.”

“Again,” Amber says.

I sigh, “Again.”

“So… when you have those ‘situations….'”

I laugh softly, “They were because of you…every single one of them.”

“Oh… good to know,” Amber answers, “I don’t understand why you didn’t tell me when I asked you before.”

“You weren’t ready to know. Amber, you don’t have to worry about them.”

“So you do… want to… with me?”

“Well maybe eventually. I’m willing to wait as long as I have to though.”

“I just don’t want you to…”

“To what…look for it somewhere else?”

“Well yeah.”

“Not going to happen. There’s other ways for us to be intimate, Amber.”

“Like… how?”

“Well for now I think we’re both happy with the constant cuddling and sleeping next to each other…maybe a bit of making out.”

“Is that all you really want from me?”

“No, I want your heart. I want you to love me.”

“Well you already have that.”

I smile hoping she can see it, “Then I’m not worried. When you’re ready, it doesn’t matter if it’s a few years from now or never, I’ll wait. I just want you to be happy. I’ll be ready for you whenever you’re ready for me…but know you’ll have to seduce me first.”

Amber laughs, “I want you to be happy too.”

“I am happy. I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been.”

“That makes two of us.”

“I’ll be over as soon as my mom goes to bed.”

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

“Try to get some sleep until then. I’ll probably keep you up all night.”

“I’ve contracted a case of insomnia…the only cure it you.”

“You’re adorable. I’ll be over soon. I think my mom going to bed right now. I just have to give her a half hour to fall asleep. Honestly I think she knows I’m going to get out. She got a new lock for the back door, but I can get through it easily.”

“I think she’s worried about… what we might do.”

“She’s not worried about that. I think she just likes to hold on to some rules. She doesn’t like telling people she lets me sleep over at my girlfriend’s house.”

“How long have I been your girlfriend?”

Forever I think silently to myself, “Since I took you to get your nose pierced.”

“I didn’t even realize.”

“Yeah, you did. You knew I wasn’t joking around when my cousin asked if we were dating and I said yes.”

“I like being your girlfriend, Frank.”

I press my forehead against the glass, “I like you being my girlfriend too.”

“If you come over I’ll let you kiss me again now that you’ve told me your plan.”

I laugh, “Give me half an hour.”

“It’s yours.”

“I love you, Amber.”

“I love you too.”

Note: I love you guys so much that I finished my word count needed for today on NaNoWritMo and instead of watching Halloween (again) I decided to update :)